Franciszek Smuda’s funeral took place at the Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow. The former coach of the Polish national team died at the age of 76 after battling illness. Andrzej Duda posthumously awarded him the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. The authorities of Łódź also plan to honor the memory of the coach.
Franciszek Smuda he rested at the Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow. The funeral ceremony began with a Holy Mass for the coach, then the deceased was led away in a funeral procession.
The former football player and coach of the Polish national team died after a battle with cancer at the University Hospital in Krakow. He was 76 years old.
Many people showed up for the coach’s final farewell, including a large representation of fans. Representatives of the sports world were also present. Among others former coach of the Polish national team Andrzej Strejlauor footballers Jakub Błaszczykowski and Kamil Glik.
The government was represented by Ireneusz Raś, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Sport and Tourism.
Franciszek Smuda’s funeral. The coach was honored
Former coach of the Polish national team was also decorated by President Andrzej Duda.
Franciszek Smuda received Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia RestitutaThe decoration was presented to the coach’s wife – Małgorzata Drewniak-Smuda – during the funeral ceremony.
In Łódź in his honor one of the streets is to be named. The city’s deputy mayor is seeking this. “An outstanding coach deserves to be duly honored. I will seek to name one of Łódź’s streets after Mr. Franciszek Smuda,” wrote Adam Pustelnik on social media.
SEE: Franciszek Smuda is dead. A wave of memories about the coach. “A master of building atmosphere”
Smuda went down in the history of Polish football as an outstanding coach. In the 1996/1997 season led Widzew Łódź to the Champions League. With this team he also won the Polish championship twice (1996, 1997).
He worked, among others, at Legia Warsaw and Lech Poznań. He was also the coach of the Polish national team, which he led in the years 2009-2012 and during the European Championships held in Poland and Ukraine.
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